[Terra]
Dorn half-knelt before the steps of the Golden Throne, his face as tight as a rock.
[Father, Vulkan and I are ready to relight the Astronomican.]
The man on the throne did not move. Dorn raised his head and stared at the solemn face of the Lord of Mankind. Countless golden flames rose around the Emperor, but they were still not as dizzying as the Emperor himself.
＋Ready to reignite.＋
Dorn nodded, [Yes.]
Without any regrets, Dorn strode away from here.
The lumen balls in the palace corridors cast mottled shadows on the hard stones. The Imperial Fists waiting outside followed Dorn's footsteps. They walked through the intricate underground of the palace. They were going to relight the Astronomican.
Just like when Dorn extinguished the Astronomican with his own hands.
The Emperor had ordered him to extinguish the Astronomican within twenty-four hours.
Extinguishing the Astronomican, the Primarch clearly understood the disastrous consequences this would bring. Ships sailing in the Warp would be unable to return, the Astropaths would be out of control, and countless lines of defense relying on communications would be directly defeated.
This step will result in the deaths of many people, and Dorn is extremely aware of this.
But these are the Emperor's orders.
He was the Imperial Fist defending the Imperial Palace, he was the stubborn stone guarding the Emperor's will. Dorn said nothing, but simply asked his own questions as usual. After getting the Emperor's answers, he set out to extinguish the Astronomican.
The process was not smooth. He had a fight with Vulkan who ran out and cried bitterly. The Lord of Fire Dragon shouted at the top of his lungs to persuade the Emperor to give up this step. Dorn did nothing else. He just knocked Vulkan down, knocked him unconscious, and continued on his way.
The next to come to thwart him were the Eternals, and Dorn was forced to fight again, and he still succeeded.
The last ones to come to stop Dorn are the Astropaths. Extinguishing the Astronomican Torch will mean the loss of countless excellent, working Astropaths, as well as the Navigator families that have complicated ties with the Astropaths.
Faced with the aggressive questioning, accusations and attacks from the leaders of the Star Language Court, Dorn did not compromise.
Finally, the psyker who was pinned to the wall by the Imperial Fists and put on a psychic restraint device looked at Dorn fiercely and scolded him,
"After this, the Star Tongue Court will never provide services to the Imperial Fists again!!!"
[OK.]
Dorn said, and then he left, completing his mission before the last second came.
And now, three months after the Astronomican was extinguished and Terra was at peace, the Emperor commanded Dorn to relight the Astronomican.
Dorn, who was busy reinforcing Terra's defenses, looked up from the construction site and returned to the Emperor to receive his orders.
No questions, no doubts, no confusion.
Because he is Rogal Dorn.
Rogal Dorn was chosen by the Emperor to defend Terra.
Dorn knew that the war had broken out. He knew that above Terra, in the distant Eye of Terror, a fratricide was taking place on the lake. He knew that to the east of the empire, the dark side of the empire was living a life worse than death because of its fall.
Countless armies are gathering and rushing towards the battlefield, trying to win this battle, but there will not be a single Imperial Fists among the participating armies - because they have to defend Terra.
Turning another corner, Dorn saw Vulkan, who had been sent to the Webway by the Emperor. Dorn didn't know what Vulkan was doing specifically, but now, the Emperor ordered Vulkan to assist Dorn and relight the Astronomican.
Vulkan swallowed and walked towards Dorn with some guilt.
Dorn said, and they walked together toward the Hollow Mountain.
Vulkan nodded, but Dorn saw the uncertainty in the eyes of the Fire Dragon Lord. Vulkan hesitated and said,
[He asked me to see for myself, to perceive the truth in the cracks of the Webway. I saw many incomprehensible existences, darkness, mazes, and the shining and broken Sanguinius... But I think I know when to light the Astronomican again.]
Vulkan opened his mouth.
[On the other side where the sun and the moon set together, on the other side where darkness and the tide rise together, in order to no longer sleep, people need to light up the lights of the stars. ]
Dorn frowned imperceptibly. [There is no word to describe time here.]
Vulkan opened his mouth wide, then closed it, then opened it again, like a fish out of water, [This is... This is a metaphor. I can't interpret them, but I know as long as I see it - I know it will be that moment. ]
What do you think
Dorn asked, and Vulkan took a few steps anxiously and said, "Intuition."
Dorn said.
Vulkan paused where he stood, but immediately caught up with Dorn, "You don't want to ask me something else?"
Vulkan watched as Dorn's eyes moved to his face and he studied Vulkan carefully for a moment.
[You are Vulkan, you have not betrayed me. The Emperor ordered me to ask you the time.]
Dorn said, "What may I ask, Vulkan?"
Vulkan seemed to want to say something, but the Fire Dragon Lord said nothing in the end. He followed Dorn dejectedly.
[… I’m sorry for my impulsive behavior.]
"Your actions at that time were indeed wrong, absolutely wrong," Dorn said. "If I were not stronger than you, you would have caused the failure of the entire plan."
Vulkan sighed. Dorne still couldn't speak, so he said nothing more and followed Dorne into the hall.
There, the Imperial Fists had prepared a hundred thousand psykers.
They are all the fuel for what's next, the Astronomican.
Vulkan felt his eyes moisten again, but he said nothing. He turned his face away cowardly, trying not to look at the pleading expressions of the psykers.
He saw people in religious attire in the distance, and Vulkan was confused as to why those people were accompanied by several Blood Angels warriors stationed on Terra, but this time, he said nothing.
He stood beside Dawn as they boarded the elevator and headed toward the surface of the Hollow Mountain.
Finally, the two Primarchs stood, on the desolate, cold ground of Terra, waiting for the moment to rekindle the Astronomican.
Above their heads, the giant eye was flashing.
(Read the writer's words)
(End of this chapter)